Q&A: Abiogenesis and Lice
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Abiogenesis and Lice
Question
I heard that in light of research into what is called abiogenesis, the process of life arising spontaneously is not implausible. Do you think that from this one can understand, even a little, the assumption stated in the Talmud that lice are not born through reproduction?
Answer
Possibly. But I’m not looking for ways to make sense of scientific determinations in the Talmud, because there is no reason to assume they knew something that was not known in their time. Specifically regarding lice, as far as I know that is not the case, and certainly not for all lice (abiogenesis happened once, or at most a few times).